Rack



April 17, 1934. C)- Q B01-Z 1,955,668

RACK

Filed June 13, 1931 ff V/f 0770 C5072 MMV/M/M/WM Patented pr.. i7, 1934 RACK @tto C. Botz, .efferson City, Mo.

Application June 13, 1931, Serial No. 544,206

1 Claim.

This invention relates' in general to baskets and more particularly to conveyor baskets for use in refrigerating plants.

I The baskets heretofore in use for subjecting 5 food stuff to the action of cooling mediums have not permitted the free circulation of the cooling medium. This has been due to the lack of space between the various articles within the same container, thereby obstructing the passage of the cooling medium therebetween. The baskets themselves have also added to this obstruction of the passage of the cooling medium due to their structure. The failure of the cooling medium to affect the entire surface of the articles contained therein results in an uneven chilling or freezing which will allow the parts less affected by the cooling medium to deteriorate much faster than otherwise.

An object of this invention is to provide a conveyor basket permitting free circulation of a cooling medium.

Another object of this invention is to provide a conveyor basket having a plurality of spaces for receiving individual chickens or the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a conveyor basket permitting free access to the articles contained therein.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a conveyor basket permitting free circulation of a cooling medium and adapted to be attached to a conveying system for moving it in an upright position.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a conveyor basket that is simple in construction and compact in size.

Another object of this invention isto provide an. apparatus for freezing foWls and the like.

With these and other objects in View, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without ifdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

The invention broadly consists of a conveyor basket having side members formed as a grille or the like with a plurality of equi-spaced grids 150 positioned between the side members. A support is formed on the upper part of the basket for maintaining it in an upright position when attached to a conveying unit. The conveyor basket is moved by the conveying system through the vviicooling rooms where the cooling medium passes unobstructed to the fowls carried in the conveyor basket.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown, in the accompanying 60 I drawing, means for carrying the same into practical effect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions which, i'or the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

Figure 1 is a perspective of my assembled conveyor basket.

Figure 2; is a side view showing the conveyor basket attached to a conveying unit.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan View showing the tortuous path followed by the conveyor baskets in the cooling rooms.

Referring to the various gures of the drawing, where the same reference characters designate like parts throughout and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a conveyor basket constructed in accordance with my invention. The side members are formed as grilles and comprise upright rods 1 joined at their tops and bottoms by cross rods 2. As will be noted the cross rods 2 are arranged at right angles to the upright rods l, forming a parallelogram-shaped side member.

A plurality of ribs 3, equally spaced with respect to each other and the upright rods 1, are suitably secured to the cross rods 2. The ribs 3 extend the entire length of the basket and the top and bottom of each is made iiush with the cross rods 2. The ribs 3 are smaller in cross-section than the upright rods 1, as clearly indicated in Figure l, and offer less'obstruction to the passage of a cooling medium through the side members.

Transversely positioned with respect to the side members are a plurality of rods 4, similar in cross-section to the cross rods 2. The rods 4 are equally spaced between the cross rods 2, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

While I have shown the various parts of the side lmembers as being circular in cross section, it is to be understood that other shapes may be employed. For instance, the cross rods 2 and the equi-spaced rods 4 may be square in cross section, permitting a greater engagement surface between them and the uprights 1 and ribs 3. The members 1 and 3 may also be Square or i any other desired shape.

The various parts of the side members may be of any suitable metal or metal alloy. I have found that a tin-plated metal is exceptionally well adapted, but I do not wish to be limited to its use. A metal alloy, such as duraluminum, may also be used as it has a high tensile strength and is also light in Weight.

The parts of the side members may be joined together by spot welding, soldering or any other well-known method for joining metals. The method used should be capable of joining the various parts in a secure manner.

A plurality of grids 5 are positioned between the side members and rest on the transverse rods 4, the bottom grid resting on the cross rods 2. Each grid 5 has a substantially rectangular frame 6, of any suitable metal or metal alloy. A wire mesh 7, consisting of longitudinal and transverse wires forms a tray on which the carcass of the fowl may be placed. The grids 5 may be spot Welded or soldered to the rods 2 and 4 forming a rigid basket having a plurality of compartments. The wire mesh 7 may likewise be secured to its frame 6, and the wires forming the mesh 7 joined at the points of cross-over by the same method.

Each compartment of the basket formed by the grids 5 may be provided with means for holding the chickens in a particular shape. This can be accomplished by providing a spring wire or the like so that all of the chickens will have 'a uniform appearance.

It may also be desirable to form the wire mesh 7 of the grid 5 in such a manner that any special design or lettering may be reproduced thereon. This can be accomplished by raising the Wire mesh at certain points so that either the design or lettering, or both may be formed. By this expedient, foodstuffs, such as poultry and the like, can be frozen with the design or lettering reproduced on the frozen article.

In order that the Conveyor basket may be hung in an upright position, a support is secured to the top thereof. The support comprises diagonally extending rods 8 from a corner of one of the side members to an opposite corner of the other. At the point where the diagonal rods 8 cross each other, as at 9, is secured a hook 10. The hook 10 is welded or soldered to the rods 8 at their cross-over point 9. By providing a support of the kind described, the conveyor basket when attached to a conveyor, to be hereinafter described, will hang in an upright position, avoiding the possibility of the baskets discharging the articles resting on the grids 5.

After the conveyor basket has been constructed in the manner above described, it may be dipped or suitably treated to avoid deterioration of the parts. Any conventional method of plating or dipping may be used.

Figure 2 shows my conveyor basket attached to a conveying unit. As illustrated, a guide or track 11 is supported from the ceiling 12 of a cooling plant in any suitable manner, not shown. The guide 11 has inturned flanges 13 acting as a track for the conveying unit. The conveying unit includes a plurality of rollers 14 adapted to travel upon the inturned flanges 13. The rollers 14' are joined to a shaft 15 by means of a U- shaped member 16 attached thereto. The U- shaped member 16 forming part of the conveying unit, travels through the groove formed between the two inturned flanges 13. A centering disk 17 is attached to the upper end of the shaft 15 and prevents the conveying unit from following an irregular course in the guide 11.

The rollers 14 and centering disk 17 are provided with suitable anti-friction means, such as bearings, to permit easy rotation.

The shaft 15 is bent as at 18 to form a support for engaging the hook 10 of the conveyor basket. The support is formed to present a flat surface in order that the conveyor basket may hang in an upright position.

While I have shown and described the conveyor basket as being suspended from a conveying' unit attached to the ceiling of the cooling plant, it is to be understood that other arrangements for conveying the articles to be frozen may be employed. For instance, a metal framework may be placed on the floor of the cooling plant to support the conveyor basket and permit it to travel thereon. With this arrangement, the necessity of providing a reinforced ceiling to care for the weight suspended therefrom is alleviated.

Figure 3 illustrates my invention applied to a two-stage refrigerating system. A large room 19 is divided into two compartments 2i) and 21 by means of a partition 22. The compartment 2G has an entrance 23 where the conveyor baskets having the dressed fowls placed on the grids 5 are attached to the support 18 of the conveying unit. The conveying system may be actuated by any suitable motive power, not shown, and the baskets follow a path as illustrated. The cooling medium in the compartment 20 is so regulated that the fowl on the grids 5 do not freeze. The cooling medium merely prechills the fowl and removes any remaining body heat in the carcasses.

After the conveyor basket has followed the path through compartment 20, it enters the freezing compartment 21 through a suitable entrance 24 in the partition 22. The cooling medium in the compartment 21 is regulated to freeze the dressed fowl to any desired degree. By following the tortuous path shown in compartment 2l the full effect of the cooling medium is accomplished. After the fowl have been subjected to the effect of the cooling medium in compartment 2l, the conveyor baskets leave by means of an exit 25.

It is to be understood that the speed of the conveying system may be regulated so that the conveyor baskets may be moved through the prechill and refrigerating rooms at any desired rate. It is also to be understood that the temperature of the cooling medium may be regulated to suit any particular condition or set of conditions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided by my invention a conveyor basket that is well open and that oiers the least amount of resistance to the passage of a cooling medium therethrough.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or eX- ceeding the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A wire rack comprising spaced side members having a plurality of ribs, equi-spaced horizontal rods secured to the ribs of said side members, shelves positioned on pairs of said rods, said shelves being secured to the rods and ribs of the side members, a support for hanging the rack 'v in an upright position, said support formed by rods extending horizontally and diagonally from opposite corners of the side members and a hook secured to the support at the point of intersection of the diagonal rods.

OTTO C. BOTZ. 

